Fried Tofu and Wakame Salad

Wakame, an edible seawood, is most often purchased in its dried form. To hydrate wakame, soak in tepid water for 20 minutes. Once the wakame is tender and soft, drain well in a colander and dab dry with a paper towel. If the stems are present, tear off and discard.

Drain the tofu. Wrap a dishtowel around entire tofu like a present. Place a semi-heavy book on top to press out water. Do this 2 times, changing the towels each time. This should take about 2 hours.

Place the cabbage, carrots, sesame seeds and wakame in large bowl. Combine vinegar and sugar in separate bowl and mix until sugar is dissolved. Pour vinegar mixture on top of cabbage “slaw”. Toss to mix evenly and set aside.

Once the tofu is “dry,” cut into 1-inch cubes and place in a bowl. Add the grated ginger and tamari. Gently toss to evenly coat.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the sesame oil. Once hot, gently add the tofu squares to the pan. Avoid crowning the tofu, working in batches if necessary, so that all the cubes can evenly brown. Gently turn the tofu until all sides are brown. Remove to a plate and allow to cool. Repeat until all the tofu is browned.